Big Business Marketing on a Small Business Budget

There’s no doubt that a massive marketing budget can make wonderful things happen for your business. But if you happen to be one of the millions of small businesses for whom “marketing budget” is a difficult term to come to grips with, you can still earn tremendous results with a smart, careful and cost-effective marketing plan. It will take work, but if you are willing, here’s an outline of activities you can start today.


Engage regularly. Too many marketing plans invest heavily in talking AT customers and prospects without ever working to speak WITH them. Engagement is key to any successful marketing campaign, and if you are working on a limited budget, that goes double for you.

Encourage buy-in. Sales are not just about trading goods or services for cash or credit. Buy-in is every bit as important as buying. If you can sell a customer you get a sale, but if you can get your customer to trust you or depend on your product, you have turned your customer into a salesperson. 

Provide value. What do you offer besides your product? Can you educate, encourage or lead? Can you teach or direct? Can you help create an experience? You know those “miracle” kitchen tools they sell on infomercials. They always come with a how-to video and a cookbook, right. This is because the producers understand that, if they just sell the product it will sit in a drawer. But, if they show people how to have fun using the product, how to impress their family and friends, their customer will actually use the product…that will create more customers. They will also wear that one out and need another one.

Meet them where they are. The days of customers coming into your store and leaving with more than they came for are still around for some businesses. But if you are struggling to get people to come to you, then you need to go to them. Find out the link between where your prospect is now and what it will take to make them a customer. Then do that thing. Guaranteed, it will mean you get out of your comfort zone long before they do.

Set graduated goals. Marketing is also about accountability, metrics and scalability. Your goal should not be a BIG SPLASH followed by small ripples. It should be about a long-term campaign of gradually increasing growth. Celebrate each milestone and then add to your plan to do what will take you to the next level.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, but these steps are some of the most important. If you accomplish these and then keep your plan updated, you will be well ahead of the curve. There will be more work to do, but you are a business owner … you already knew that.